Fullmetal Warrior: Bright Dawn
by Yami no Tempest
Summary: 'The Flames Once Meant to Save Our Clan Shall be Doused by a Fellow Blaze And Only the One with the Metal Wing Can End the Sea of Blood' That was the vauge but urgent warning that Edward Elric recieved the day he was stabbed. Waking up just outside a Clan of wild cats and eventually learning their ways, he must now uncover a dark secret to save both their world and his own...
1. The Warning

**Um, hi, I guess. Just, um, read this and hopefully enjoy...**

"Fullmetal...I have a message for you."  
I glared up at the cloaked boy in front of me. He was small; no older than me. Long, golden brown hair, light green eyes. He had two streaks of color on each pale cheek, and a dagger between each finger.  
"The hell do you want?" I asked angrily, struggling under his weight. I sighed and gave up, slupping down on the bloodstained grass and glaring once more at the boy's shoe that was currently pinning me down by my chest.  
_"The Flames Once Meant To Save Our Clan Shall Be Douced By a Fellow Blaze, and Only the One with the Metal Wing Can End the Sea of Blood."  
_"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I demanded, growing frantic as he selected a dagger from his right  
hand and clenched it between his teeth. He then turned away from me and looked over at Al. He then drove the dagger into my brother's blood rune. And time stood still.  
"Al!" I shouted frantically  
"Nii-San!" he gasped. The life slowly drained from his metal body, and all I could do was watch as the boy pulled out the dagger, shattering the one thing that kept my baby brother's soul inside the suit of armor.  
"You son of a-" I broke off and winced as blood rolled into my right eye.  
The boy turned to look at me again.  
"Edward Elric." he said, his voice a soft, velvety growl like a lion's.  
"You are needed elsewhere."  
He then drove the dagger into my chest, and the world went black.  
Darkness, pain, and suffering. That's all I saw. It could have been seconds, minutes, maybe even days. I don't know. At one point, I opened my eyes to see the blank shape of the Truth standing over me, but I shrugged it off.  
"If you're gonna take something," I whispered.  
"Just take it now."  
And the last thing I saw before falling back into a comma of despair was Truth's jagged-toothed grin.  
More pain. More hopelessness. I opened my eyes and looked around. Paniced yowls and threatening snarls rose up around me. I whimpered and stuck my tail between my legs.  
_Tail.  
_Something didn't seem right. My tail. That bothered me somehow.  
_Of course you have a tail, dumbass. All cats have one._ I told myself.  
Cats.  
Then it hit me. Tail. Cat. But I'm not a cat. I'm Edward Eric, the Fullmetal Alchemist!  
I opened my eyes and sat up, moaning loudly and lifting a paw to my aching head.  
"PAW?!" I yowled.  
"I have _paws?!" _  
I took a deep breath and looked over myself. I was a small golden tabby tom.  
_Tom? What the hell? Is that..._Cat _talk?  
_My right forepaw and left hindpaw are made of metal. Okay, so I still had my auto-mail. That's good.  
I'm wearing a red bandana. It has the same design as my red coat. But I'm a cat. Why?  
The bushes rustled nearby, and I looked up, alert. A fluffy gray cat jumped out at me, and I turned and ran into the trees. But I waasn't used to running on all four, I guess, and my paw snagged a root. The gray tabby caught up to me, and I see another cat following him; a golden tabby with...a lion's mane. I growled at them, trying to rear up on my hind paws to clap my forepaws, but I fell over again, my pawpads cracked and bleeding.  
"What's this?" the golden cat asked curiously.  
"Another kittypet? Or is it a loner?"  
"I dunno." the gray cat sulked.  
"But it's just a kit."  
"KIT?!" I roared.  
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL I'M A FLEA AMONG ALL THE DOGS OF THE MILITARY?!"  
The golden tabby gave me an odd look, and the gray cat padded foreward.  
"Are you sane?"  
"Of course I am." I growled.  
The golden tabby walked up behind and grabbed me by the scruff.  
"Well, either way, You're on ThunderClan territory, so we'll let Bluestar deal with you."  
I allowed my cat body to go limp in his jaws. I had nothing better to do, anyway.

**So, uh, R&R if you have the time. Thanks!**


	2. Enter: Ravenpaw

Fullmetal Warrior Chapter Two

I growled softly and glared at the ground.  
"My name's Graypaw!" the gray tom introduced.  
"And I care?" I muttered.  
The golden tabby padded into a large clearing filled with cats. He placed me gently on the ground next to Graypaw, and I looked around in alarm. Cats sat around talking, grooming other cats, eating small birds and rodents...  
"Hey Firepaw!" Graypaw called, bounding away to where an orange tabby tom sat alone by a tree.  
"Bluestar!" the golden tom called softly. A blue-gray she-cat poked her head out from inside a small cave.  
"Lionheart." she greeted.  
"Who's this kit you have with you?"  
"KIT?! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING SO DAMN SMALL THAT I NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN I GO OUTSIDE OR ELSE ANTS WILL STOMP MY HEAD INTO THE GROUND?!" I yowed.  
All the cats in the clearing looked up, uncertain, wary looks on their faces.  
"My name," I growled.  
"Is Edward Elric."  
"Where are you from?" the she-cat questioned.  
"Are you a loner? What is your objective? Why are you on ThunderClan territory?"  
Her eyes fell on my paws.  
"What...what are you? What happened to you? Was it twolegs?"  
"I-I-" I stammered, dazed by all her questions.  
"It's a twoleg thing." called a voice. I turned around to see the orange tabby that Graypaw was talking to earlier.  
"Called _metal._ They use it to make things. It's...It's like the stuff that was on my collar."  
I looked around and realized that the entire clearing of cats had fallen silent and had gathered around us.  
"That's right!" A cream tabby tom sneered.  
"Firepaw here is a _kittypet!_"  
"No he's not!" Graypaw defended.  
"That's enough! Both of you!" the gray she-cat growled.  
"Edward," she said to me.  
"ThunderClan is in need of strong, healthy warriors. You were found wandering our land, clearly lost, and you are now in our debt. Why not consider joining us?"  
I thought about that for a moment.  
"What's in it for me?" I challenged.  
The cat, who was obviously the leader, just blinked calmly.  
"A warm nest, prey-filled forest, any fresh-kill you catch. A Clan that loves and respects you. Full warrior training."  
I nodded slowly.  
"And the catch is?"  
"Queens, kits, and elders must be fed first. Contribute to the Clan above all else. Know where your loyalty lies."  
"Alright. I'll join you."  
_What've I got to lose?  
_"...Firepaw. A little while back, you named this substance." she said, swishing her tail over my right forepaw.  
"Metal." Firepaw meowed confidently.  
"Edward, how old are you?"  
_Shit! I don't know my age in cat years! I'm sixteen _years_ old!  
_"Twelve moons." I replied. That felt right. My cat body is twelve moons old.  
"From this moment on, until you earn your full warrior name, you shall be known as Metalpaw."  
"Metalpaw!" Graypaw and Firepaw cheered, followed reluctantly by the others.  
"Metalpaw! Metalpaw!"  
"Firepaw! Graypaw! Whitestorm! Lionheart!" the leader called.  
"Yes, Bluestar?" a fluffy white tom answered.  
"Come with me. Longtail! Take Sandpaw, Dustpaw, and Mousefur hunting!" she called over her shoulder.  
"Metalpaw." she said, turning to me.  
"My name is Bluestar. Whitestorm," she told the fluffy white tom.  
"It's time I gave you an apprentice. You will mentor Metalpaw."  
The bushes behind us rustled, and a small black and white tom with light purple eyes burst into the camp.  
"Redtail is dead!" he gasped.  
And then he passed out.


	3. The Courage of a Lion

"Spottedleaf!" Bluestar shouted. I watched as a pretty tortoishell rushed over, grabbed the little black and white tom by his scruff and carried him away to the back of the camp.  
"Bluestar?" I asked nervously, looking around the camp.  
"Fox-dung...Redtail...NO!" a small gray tom wailed.  
_Dammit! What's going on?!  
_Bluestar turned to me, a clouded look in her eyes.  
"Redtail...was ThunderClan's deputy. If anything were to happen to me...he would have taken over."  
I nodded and swallowed hard, my tail tip twitching in irritation. Greiving cats gathered in the center of the camp, and I just managed to see the limp body of a large fluffy tortoiseshell tom being dragged into the middle of the gathered cats. Firepaw whispered something to Graypaw, and Graypaw shook his head. They both padded away to a corner somewhere, leaving me standing alone at the edge of the clearing. Remembering the frail tom from earlier, I tasted the air and tracked him and the tortoishell to a flower-scented den farther in the camp. I poked my head in, instantly spotting the tom asleep in a moss nest. The tortoishell, who had been sorting plants, looked up.  
"Oh! Metalpaw. Is something wrong?" she asked in alarm.  
"No," I said quickly.  
"I just came to check on..." I paused, realizing I didn't know the tom's name.  
"him." I meowed.  
Thw pretty she-cat nodded.  
"Ravenpaw," she called softly.  
"You have a visitor."  
The tom, Ravenpaw, looked up, a dull, hopeless look in his eyes. He brightened slightly, then frowned again.  
"Wh-who are you...and..." his eyes fell on my paws.  
"What happened to yo-urg..." he ended in a moan, lifting a paw to his forehead.  
I padded over and gently placed my tail tip over his mouth.  
"My name is Metalpaw." I murmered.  
"I...this is the way my paws are. It's...there was an accident when I was a kit." I lied. Well, it was sort of true...  
The pretty she-cat padded over.  
"Metalpaw, you should let Ravenpaw rest." she said, a nervous edge to her mew.  
I narrowed my eyes, then nodded.  
"I'm Spottedleaf, by the way." she told me.  
"Whatever," I growled, suspision growing in the back of my mind.  
"It's Metalpaw. Don't wear it out."

Me and Ravenpaw sat down at the back of the group, shoulders slumpped. Firepaw and Graypaw were practicing a new move we'd learned durring battle training. Our mentors, Lionheart, Whitestorm, and Tigerclaw, were sitting down watching and whispering things to eachother, occasionally gesturing towards the two. Ravenpaw stayed relitively quiet, a dull look of despair in his eyes. He seemed like a pretty timid, frail cat, but he was nice. And fun to hang out with. I'd even gotten a laugh out of him once. I guess you coud say we're friends. But his brother, Dustpaw, is always a jerk about it. Talking about how Ravenpaw is too weak and mouse-brained to become a warrior. He's got potential, I'll give you that. It's just something about his mentor, Tigerclaw, that's just not good for him. And to tell you the truth, I don't really trust that cat either.  
"Let's ditch this training session." I whispered to Ravenpaw.  
"But-" he started, but I cut him off.  
"Whitestorm," I whispered to my mentor,  
"Ravenpaw wrenched his claw on a stone. I need to bring him back to camp so Spottedleaf can take a look at it."  
Whitestorm looked uncertain.  
"We're not tht far from camp," he argued.  
"Can't he go back himself?"  
"He can't really walk on it." I lied.  
"And if something attacks him, he'll need backup. He hurt it pretty badly."  
Whitestorm nodded reluctantly.  
"Alright. But hurry back."  
I padded calmy bback to Ravenpaw, and, picking up quickly, he leaned on my shoulder an fake-limped towards camp. When we were a safe distance from the training hollow, we sat down, and Ravenpaw let out a sigh of relief.  
"What is it with you?" I asked.  
"Wh-what do you mean?" Ravenpaw asked nervously.  
"I mean how you always act so scared around Tig-" I stopped and stared into Ravenpaw's innocent eyes and realized I didn't have the courage to ask him.  
"Nevermind." I said, sneezing as the cold leaf-fall air hit my face.  
"Let's get back to the hollow." Ravenpaw said.  
If cats had eyebrows, I'd have raised one.  
"You sure about that, Raven?" I asked him.  
"Yes," he said firmly.  
"Metalpaw, if you've taught me anything besides how to tell a convincing lie, it's to face your fears."  
I nodded.  
"'Kay. Let's go."


	4. Enter: Yellowfang

**Yes! I finally have another reviewer! Let's paaaaartaaaaaaaay!**

I curled up in the last avalible nest in the apprentices' den. I was between Firepaw and a pretty ginger she-cat. She was a tough, tomboyish cat by day, but she looked so inoccent sleeping with her paws over one eye and her tail covering her nose. She almost reminded me of Winry.  
Ravenpaw was whimpering in his dreams, and I had half a mind to wake him. Dreams or no dreams, though, he needed his sleep. Funny, I almost felt responsible for his health and safety. I dunno why. I guess it's because he's so...kit-like. Young and naive. He always seemed frightened and scared. Both his parents, I'd learned, were dead. He still had two sisters, Brindleface and Frostfur, but they were usually busy. Then there was his brother, Dustpaw, and his half-brother, Longtail, but they never get along.  
I yawned, and finally let sleep overtake me.

_"Ah, Metalpaw, you're here."  
I looked up to see an eeriely familiar cat. A fluffy, sandy brown tom with pale stripes. And light, green eyes...  
"You!" I growled.  
"You did this to me!"  
The tabby tom blinked calmly.  
"Yes, you could say that. But I-"  
"I don't need your excuses!" I snapped.  
"Metalpaw, you must listen to me. I have recieved an urgent warni-"  
"Shut up!" I snarled.  
"My name is Edward Elric!"  
The tabby just shook his head, and then faded into darkness._

"Metalpaw! Hey Metalpaw! Wake up!"  
I felt a paw whack me across the face and I opened my eyes to see Ravenpaw's excited face.  
"What's up, Raven'?" I asked.  
"The gathering's tonight!" he replied in a cheerful tone. It was nice to see him happy, seeing how he's almost always scared and misrible.  
"Oh, yeah," he added.  
"That, and, Lionheart wants us on a hunting patrol."  
It had been almost a moon since Redtail died and Lionheart took his place as deputy. Dustpaw's still clearly upset about the loss of his mentor; and I've heard Redtail was a brave and loyal warrior. But Graypaw seems happy to be the deputy's apprentice, and so far things are working out.  
"Alright, I'm up." I said, dragging myself to my paws.  
We padded out of camp, Whitestorm and Longtail leading and Sandpaw behind us.  
"Sandpaw," Whitestorm said once we got outside.  
"You'll hunt with me. Longtail, you're a strong hunter. You go alone. Ravenpaw, Metalpaw, you two hunt that way." he finished, indicating a spot with his tail.  
I nodded, and headed off with Ravenpaw, pausing to taste the air.  
"Squirrel." I informed him, wanting to give him a chance. He nodded and bounded away happily.  
"Don't scare it away..." I muttered.  
Sighing and shaking my head, I returned to hunting almost atonce scenting rabbit. I dropped into a crouch, making sure my metal limbs had less weight on them than my normal ones. Last thing I needed was my auto-mail alerting prey or enemies, or, worse, breaking.  
I crept foreward, but I immediately noticed something wasn't right. There was another cat here.  
Firepaw.  
Forgetting the rabbit, I padded silently through the trees. A rank stench hit my nose, and I froze, recognizing the scent ShadowClan from when I'd been by the border.  
I slipped quietly foreward, and my heart skipped a beat at what I saw.  
Firepaw was crouched down next to an elderly gray she-cat, and the two were sharing a rabbit.  
_The rabbit I was going to catch.  
_I growled softly, and Firepaw looked up in alarm. I ducked out of sight, glad I was downwind. He shrugged, then continued eating.  
"Hey Metalp-"  
I slapped my tail over Ravenpaw's mouth. I could tell from the look on his face and the dirt on his muzzle that he'd failed to catch the squirrel. I shrugged off, gently removing my tail from Ravenpaw's face.  
"What's going on?" he hissed softly.  
I beconed him over, flicking my tail towards Firepaw and the ShadowClan cat.  
"That." I replied, ears flattened.  
"Wh-what do we do?" Ravenpaw stammered.  
"They're breaking the warrior code." I replied angrily, my tail swishing back and forth.  
"So we do-" I snarled, jumping out from behind the bush we were hidden behind.  
"This!" I yowled, pinning down the ShadowClan cat. Ravenpaw reluctantly followed, placing a paw on Firepaw's chest to hold him down.  
"ShadowClan filth!" I growled down at her. She had a ragged gray pelt and a squashy face. I unintentionally unsheathed my claws, and blood trickled from her shoulders. She just sagged down and went limp under my paws.  
_It's a trick, Metalpaw! She's playing dead! _I thought. But to my surprise, she didn't resist.  
"Ravenpaw!" I heard Firepaw gasp beside me.  
"Let me go!"  
"No." came Ravenpaw's firm reply. I was glad he'd chosen now to toughen up; if he let Firepaw escape, who knows what could happen?  
"What's going on here?" came Lionheart's soft growl. I whipped my head around to see him, Whitestorm, and Longtail towering over us. Lionheart padded over to each of us in turn, thrusting his muzzle into each of our faces. He looked down at Firepaw and the cat from ShadowClan, amusement in his eyes.  
"Well, well, it appears you two have eaten a generous amount."  
He turned to Longtail.  
"Take Ravenpaw back to camp."  
Longtail nodded, then glared at his smaller, weaker brother and the two padded away.  
"Whitestorm," he ordered.  
"I trust you to get these two back to camp and see to it that Bluestar hears of this?"  
Whitestorm nodded.  
"Yes, Lionheart." he meowed respectfully, glaring at Firepaw and the she-cat.  
Lionheart then turned to me and dipped his head respectfully.  
"Good work, Metalpaw."  
And with that he padded off into the trees and left me standing there, shocked.


	5. Abyss

I dragged my paws as I padded back to camp, my eyelids suddenly heavy. I scented a blue jay somewhere deeper in the forest, but I was too tiered to bother hunting it. When I reached the camp, the whole Clan was sitting around the high-rock. Firepaw, the ShadowClan cat, Lionheart, and Spottedleaf stood in front of them.  
"I know how to treat my own injuries!" the old she-cat snarled at Spottedleaf, who stepped backwards several tail-lengths.  
I started to pad over, but I felt a sharp pain in my head. I groaned, then passed out.

_"Metalpaw! Wake up! Metalpaw!"  
I opened one eye and looked up to see the pale tom standing over me.  
"You again..." I muttered.  
The tom nodded.  
"And I presume you are still unwilling to listen?" he replied.  
"Nope." I said.  
"Say, what _are _you, anyway?" I couldn't help asking.  
"A StarClan cat. Or, to put it simply, the spirit of your warrior an-" he paused, his shoulders slumping.  
"You're not even listening, are you, kid?"  
"Nope," I snickered.  
"I'm agnostic."_

"Metalpaw! Metalpaw, what's wrong?!"  
I groaned and looked up to see Ravenpaw, a worried expression on his face.  
Confusion washed over me, and then it hit me; I'd only been unconscious for a few seconds. I started to sit up, but I felt a gentle paw on my chest.  
"Let me up, Spottedleaf!" I growled.  
Ravenpaw looked at me in confusion.  
"Bro-er, Metalpaw, Spottedleaf is back in her den."  
I sat up, shaking off the remains of my dream.  
"I'm fine now, Ravenpaw."  
Ravenpaw stepped backwards, giving me space to stand.  
"O-okay." he said.  
"Bluestar's questioning that ShadowClan cat, and Firepaw's cleaning ticks out of the elders' fur."  
"Serves him right, the traitor..." I muttered.  
"Anyway," Ravenpaw continued.  
"We're leaving for the gathering soon. I was almost afraid you wouldn't be able to come."  
"Yeah..." I said absent-mindedly.  
"Me too."

I padded alongside Ravenpaw as we headed to the gathering. It was Ravenpaw's first, as well as my own, and he was bouncing along like a kit who was about to be apprenticed. I guess I was kinda excited, too. I didn't know what to expect. Apparently, all four Clans meet under a truce and discuss how things were going. Seems pretty fishy to me, but if Ravenpaw was happy about it, it must be good.  
Bluestar led us towards the center of the forest, and the scents of WindClan and ShadowClan hit the roof of my mouth. Bluestar plunged into the bushes aheah, and we all followed. I have to admit, it was pretty awesome. The only Clan missing was RiverClan. I glanced over at Ravenpaw, who was surrounded by a group of younger ShadowClan and WindClan apprentices. RiverClan slowly started to arrive, and some RiverClan apprentices dashed over to hear what he was saying.  
"_Someone's _popular..." I muttered.  
I felt a pair of eyes watching me, and a shudder ran down my spine.  
I spun around, but all I saw was Tigerclaw, his fur blowing in the gentle breeze, amber eyes half-open.

I curled up next to Ravenpaw, starlight streaming in through cracks in the den. I glanced over at Sandpaw. She was pretty, lying there with her tail over her nose. And I couldn't help but think of Winry Rockbell whenever I saw her.  
Winry.  
Something wasn't right. My stomach suddenly feels like an empty, bottomless pit. Dizziness washes over my, and the fur stands up on my neck. My whole head hurts, and my heart pounds in my chest. I shut my eyes, and I'm dragged into a dark, empty abyss.


	6. Blood

_My name is Metalpaw. That's all I know right now. My name is Metalpaw. Metalpaw. Metal...paw..._  
_Darkness._  
_That's all I saw. I longed for Ravenpaw's brotherly comfort, or Sandpaw's thick, creamy tail. But I can't find the warmth I seek. There's just darkness, trapping me, choking me from the inside. For a second, I'm pretty sure I'm dying. Then, light gathers at a single point. And I see an almost shapeless white cat. A white cat with pointy teeth._  
_And then I pass out again._

I sat up in my nest panting. Moonlight still shone brightly through cracks in the apprentice's den. The tangy stench of blood hit my nose, and I looked down to see my fur covered in it. I ran my dry tongue over my tabby pelt, but it, too, was soaked in dark red liquid. Panicking, I jumped up out of my nest, but my auto-mail paws gave out under my weight, and I fell back down. I twitched each paw in turn, eventually hearing a soft click. I stood up, my metal limbs still stiff, and limped over to Spottedleaf's den.  
Spottedleaf was curled up asleep in her nest. I almost feel sorry for the cat. Her nose twitches, and she sits up, startled, at the scent of blood.  
"Who's hu-"  
I slapped my blood soaked tail over Spotterleaf's mouth, and she let out a soft squeak.  
"Spottedleaf." I hissed.  
"This blood...isn't mine."  
She seems to relax, but only a little. She nods, brushing my tail off of her face.  
"I need to talk to you." I whispered, casually liking the crimson blood off my pelt, wincing at the metallic, salty taste. I glanced down at my metal paws, wondering what what happen if one of them were to break. There was no Winry Rockbell in this world, and none of the Clan cats know how to work with metal.  
Spottedleaf nods and pads out of the camp, and I follow, stumbling once or twice, and for a minute I'm actually afraid my auto-mail actually broke. I sat down across from Spottedleaf once we were a safe distance from camp, and she flicked her tail impatiently.  
"Well?" she asked.  
I sighed.  
"Spottedleaf, have you ever wondered about twolegs?" I asked reluctantly.  
"Out with it!" Spottedleaf hissed.  
I growled softly, unsheathing my claws.  
"Hang on!" I snapped.  
A hurt look crossed Spottedleaf's face, and I'm reminded once again of Winry.  
"It's...I can't explain." I stammered.  
Spottedleaf nodded.  
"Be careful, Metalpaw." she murdered.  
"You hold a great power in your paws."  
_Alchemy? _I though, but I instantly scrapped that idea. I wasn't even sure my alchemy worked in this world. I felt another pang of homesickness, and I bit down on my lip.  
"Yea h, sure..." I yawned, bending down to clean my sullied fur.  
"Thanks." I say suddenly, looking up.  
"For what?" Spottedleaf asked.  
"Everything." I said, blushing, as I padded deeper into the woods.  
"Where are you going?" she asked.  
"Hunting." I replied, racing away.  
"It's almost morning."


	7. A Pair of Metal Wings

It was about sunhigh when I returned to camp. I'd cleaned all the blood out of my fur, and caught a fair amount of prey. I just wish I'd caught that last rabbit; I was famished. I sighed and placed my catch-two mice, a robin, and a vole who practically jumped into my paws-on the fresh-kill pile, and padded wearily to the apprentice's den, though I already knew I wouldn't get much sleep.

"Metalpaw! Wake up! It's time!"  
"For what?" I grumbled, rolling over.  
"To become warriors!" Ravenpaw said excitedly.  
I jumped up out of my nest, hearing my auto-mail paws scrape the ground with a loud clang.  
"R-really?" I asked.  
Ravenpaw nodded, his eyes gleaming and shining with joy.  
Somehow this isn't right. Alphonse, and Winry, and Roy. Hawkeye. Den. Havok.  
Who are they?  
I don't know. I'm a ThunderClan apprentice. Well, warrior, now. I think. But something's still wrong. Why are my paws made of hard, cold...what's it called? Metal? And why does part of me want to slam my paws on the ground with the sense that something will happen. And why is that image burned into my mind, the image of a twoleg and a cat, side by side, with pointy teeth, white, static like fur, and only their right forpaw and left hindpaw truly visible. WHY!?  
"Metaalpaw?" Ravenpaw asked.  
"Are you okay?"  
I nodded.  
"Yeah. Let's go."  
" I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClanClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend themm to you as warriors in their turn. Ravenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"  
"I do." Ravenpaw meowed, his voice squeaking with excitement.  
Bluestar smiled.  
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Ravenpaw, from this moment you will be known as Ravenwing. StarClan honors your Courage and your Determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.  
Firepaw. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"  
"I do."  
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your full warrior name. Firepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Fireheart. StarClan honors your Bravery and your Strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.  
Graypaw. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"  
"I do."  
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Graypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Graystripe. StarClan honors your Bravery and Strength.  
Sandpaw, Dustpaw. Do you promise to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"  
"I do."  
"I do."  
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Sandpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sandstorm. StarClan honors your Courage and your Spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Dustpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dustpelt. StarClan honors your Bravery and your Honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of TunderClan."  
I suddenly feel excited. It's my turn now. I'm the last one to become a warrior. I'm actually kind of surprised. I only joined the Clan about, er, I think it was 8 moons ago. Wow...time flies.  
"Metalpaw! I asked you a question." Bluestar meowed.  
"Do you promise to protect and defend the Clan, even at the cost of your life?"  
"I do." I meowed calmly, and I mean it, too. My voice sounds deeper, smoother than when I first joined ThunderClan, and my golden tabby pelt feels warm under the evening sun.  
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Metalpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Metalwing. StarClan honors your Spirit, Loyalty, and your Brotherly Love, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."  
Brotherly love. She means me and Ravenwing, of course. And suddenly, I'm glad I joined a Clan. But something about 'brotherly love' catches me off guard.  
Alphonse.  
But...  
"Ravenwing! Fireheart! Graystripe! Sandstorm! Dustpelt! Metalwing!"


	8. Seeking Answers

**Sorry for the loooooooong wait, but here it is, chapter 8! This is probably the chapter that will make any followers/stalkers/fans decide whether or not to keep reading, which is why I took my time. It's basically the start of the**** turning point of the entire fanfic, and most of the time that's when fans get tiered of it and leave. And btw, when I think about Truth as a cat, an image of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland comes to mind XD  
Well, without further ado, here's the fateful, ever-so-vital chapter Eight!**

I rolled over in my half-sleep, groaning quietly. Ravenwing was next to me, his tail brushing against my nose. An eerie darkness seemed to wash over me, and I fought it, forcing myself to stay awake. The gathering was tomorrow night. It would me me, Ravenwing, and the others' first gathering as warriors. But there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind. Names and faces raced through my head, but I couldn't identify any of them. Voices cried out, screaming things like "Save us!" or "Help me, Edward!"  
Who's Edward?  
That I don't know, but I know who would know. And I know exactly what I have to do. I stood up, shaking the leaves out of my pelt. I needed to talk to a medicine cat. Why?  
To talk to StarClan.  
I padded across the camp, the leaves crispy and frosty beneath my paws, a cool breeze ruffling my fur. Little flakes of snow fluttered down onto the ground and into my face, chilling by pale pink nose. My auto-mail paws clanking softly as I walked.  
"Spottedleaf!" I hissed once I reached her den. A moment later she padded outside, a loose strand of blonde fur dangling into her face and blocking one of her shining amber eyes. She looked almost cute like that, but I knew by now that medicine cats were not allowed to have a mate or kits, and I quite honestly prefer Sandstorm.  
"What is it?" the medicine cat murmured wearily.  
"Spottedleaf," I meowed, placing my fluffy tail on her left shoulder. She looked a bit surprised by the gesture, but at least I succeeded in waking her up.  
"Spottedleaf, I need a favor of you." I meowed carefully.  
"What is it?" she meowed.  
"What's on your mind, Metalwing?"  
I sighed.  
"Spottedleaf...I need to visit the Moonstone."  
Spottedleaf narrows her eyes, and I wonder if she knows what I'm thinking.  
She sighed.  
"Metalwing, come into my den and sit down." she meowed. I think it was an order, but her voice sounded tiered and defeated. I probably could have refused and went to see Bluestar, but my paws acted without me and I padded into the medicine den.  
I've been in here before, of course. I came to visit Ravenwing the day Redtail died, and there was one time when a bee sting my nose. I'd also come to pay Fireheart a visit when he was sick. He's a nice cat, but something about him...there's...well, it's hard to say, but it's like there's an air of challenge and negativity surrounding him. And if anyone knows why, it's Spottedleaf. But I don't see what that has to do with me. Maybe he's just an ambitious cat.  
"Metalwing...you need to speak with StarClan, correct?"  
I nodded and looked up in surprise.  
"Yes, I need-"  
"Is there any way I can convince you not to go?" she interrupted. She was begging now, and I could tell she was getting desperate.  
"No." I replied firmly but softly.  
"There's not."

_Alphonse Elric  
__I looked up at the gate looming over me. I'd seen this gate before! It was about six years ago, when Edward and I tried to transmute our mother. Standing in front of me were four bodies. I instantly recognized the first one as mine, but scrawny and half-starved. The one next to mine was Edward's.  
"E-Ed!" I tried to call out, but all that came out was a squeak.  
Next to our bodies were two cats; one was a majestic golden-brown spotted tom. The other, I realized, was merely a suit of armor, shaped like a cat. A third shape padded over, grinning a wide, toothy grin.  
"Padded?" I thought out loud.  
The shape was one I recognized. A pale, almost ghostly, child-sized man with sharp, pointy white teeth._  
_The Truth.  
He laughed a bone-chilling cackle, and I shuddered. Don't ask me how. I don't know. I didn't really have a body at the moment. I guess I was just a spirit.  
Then, to my surprise and terror, the Truth slowly morphed into a pale, gray and white ghostly tabby tom, with no eyes, just a wide, crescent moon of a grin.  
"Hello, Alchemist." he meowed with a sneer.  
And then I blacked out._


	9. Enter: Featherwhisker

Metalwing

I bit back a yawn, staying close to Spottedleaf as we walked.  
Hunger gnawed at my stomach, but I couldn't eat. I'd been waiting half a moon to travel to highstones with the medicine cats, and I wasn't about to go ruining my chances of talking to StarClan. Part of the warrior code says you can't eat before sharing tongues with StarClan. I despised that rule, but there was no room for hate now. I was finally going to find out why all these names and figures haunt my dreams.  
Spottedleaf had insisted I groom my usually messy, wind-blown fur before we left, and I'd ran my tongue over it so much that it lay sleek against my sides and glimmered in the moonlight.  
Runningnose glanced over his shoulder at me, and I winced. I hate ShadowClan. I didn't have a reason to at the time, and I wouldn't until a few sunrises later, but I hadn't known at the time.  
My paws were just about ready to fall off by the time we reached the cave in which the moonstone lay. Trying not to pant heavily, I padded into the cave behind Spottedleaf and in front of Barkface, with Runningnose leading and Mudfur taking up the rear.  
Spottedleaf had a bit of trouble convincing Bluestar to let me come. She'd said something about "every apprentice has to go before becoming a warrior," and since I'd never gone, I had to now.  
"Stay close." Spottedleaf whispered to me, her fluffy tortoiseshell tail slapping me across the face like a wall of low-hanging brambles and moss.  
We padded in complete silence, the cave growing narrower and narrower, slowly closing in on us until I was just about ready to yowl in frustration. Finally, the cave opened up into a large room. A tall blue stone sat in the center, radiating a mystic light that lit up the entire cave. The moon was visible though a crack in the roof, shining brilliantly down on the earth.  
"Metalwing!" Spottedleaf called, settling down by the brilliant blue stone.  
"Come."  
I followed, the rest of the cats already lying by the stone, fast asleep. I placed my nose on the cold surface, lay still for a moment, and then passed out.

When I woke up, I was surrounded by starry cats. They dipped their heads in greeting, seeming to move as one unit, their pelts brushing, until a single cat padded forward. I instantly recognized him as the cat who visited me once before. And...  
An image flashes through my mind. One of a young twoleg standing over my, holding what look like metal claws in each hand and in his mouth.  
"You!" I gasp.  
Who?  
Who's the twoleg I just though of? And how do I know this cat?

"...You!" I shouted again, only because I couldn't think of anything else to say.  
The cat just nodded slowly.  
"Edward Elric." he meowed.  
"Who the hell is this damn Edward?" I snarled.  
"You." the cat replied, backing away from me.  
I took a step forward. Somehow I knew that this was the cat stealing my memories. This young tom had the key to my past.  
The tom took another step back, but something was odd about the way he did. He didn't look at all afraid. He was larger than me-ARRRRRRRRRRG! I. Am. Not. SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!  
Anyway, that stupid tom was bigger than me, but he had the strange aura of a medicine cat. But it he wasn't avoiding me myself.  
He was avoiding direct contact.  
In one swift movement, I launched myself at the cat, pinning him down on the ground. For a brief second, our noses touched, and memories flooded through me. I yowled in pain, unsheathing my claws.  
Winry. Roy. Hawkeye. Havok. Granny Pinako. Den. Mother. Mei. Hughes. Alph-  
"Stop!" the tom screeched, jerking away.  
"Who the fuck was that?" I howled. The boy with the armor! I had to know! Who was-  
"That...hurts!" the tom screeched.  
I jumped back in alarm. I hadn't even realized I'd been digging my long, smooth claws into his shoulders. Blood and tufts of grey fur were caught between my claws, and there were two gashes on each of the large tom's shoulders.  
The tom sighed, then sat up.  
"Featherwhisker." he meowed formally, running his tongue over the injuries.  
"Huh?" I asked.  
"My name is Featherwhisker." he meowed again.  
"Er...Metalwing." I meowed, but I knew he already knows.  
He sighed again.  
"I am willing to bet you will not leave without the answers you seek?" he asked.  
I shook my head.  
"No."  
Featherwhisker sighed.  
"You sure sigh a lot..." I muttered.  
Featherwhisker started to sigh again, then stopped.  
"Edward Elric...Metalwing." he started.  
"I will give you your memories back for one day. In exchange for your undying loyalty.  
"Equivalent Exchange." I blurted out.  
_Where the hell did _that _come from?  
_Featherwhisker caught himself mid sigh. He then leaned forward, and our noses touched. Pain shot up my spine, thoughts flooding into my mind, and then I blacked out again.


	10. 999 Words--And the Death of a Brief Life

**A/N: Hey, guys, Tempest here. I am really, really, REALLY sorry for abandoning this fic. Usually, this is the time hen I start spouting excuses. I'm not going to do that this time. There is NO excuse for waiting-what, more than six months to update. But if you're all willing to forgive me, I'd like to give this another try. This chapter is short, very short, and I'm sorry for that, but I _will _update again. Also, I plan to re-write and re-format the previous chapters, but this will take some time. Like I said, I'm sorry.**

* * *

"Spottedleaf…it hurts…" I complained, padding a few fox-lengths behind the medicine cat. I dragged my paws in the dirt, groaning with every step.

"Deal with it." the she-cat shot back. Well shoot me in the head, if that wasn't waaaaay outta character, then nothing is. I'd expect that kind of anger to come from Yellowfang. Spottedleaf sensed something, I knew it. Something was bothering her, and it had to do with me.

"Not very sympathetic, are we?" I muttered. Spottedleaf didn't answer. She was afraid of something, that much I knew. We walked in silence the rest of the way. Thoughts cluttered the floors of my brain, and I tried to sort them out with little success. By the time we had arrived, the world blurred and spun around me. I shut my eyes, digging my claws into the earth. The last thing I saw was Spottedleaf's concerned face.

* * *

I awoke with a start, struggling to stand. Brambles clawed at my face and grass stung my-

Wait.

Magnificent golden fur sprouted in large clumps from the limbs that spread out in front of me. I stared down at two large forepaws, claws flexing feebly on each. I opened my mouth, but all I produced was a forlorn mewl. My thoughts were jumbled and unorganized, my kit-sized brain too tiny to contain them all. My head was pounding, and I thought it would burst. I tried to stand, but to no avail.

"E-E-E…Edward!" I finally managed, but my voice echoed once through the empty forest, too weak to startle even the frailest of birds, then died out. I lay there from sunrise to sunset, slowly dying. Pain blossomed, first in my chest, then my shoulder, spreading to my stomach, and soon after, to the rest of my body. The fact that I hadn't felt pain in three years only magnified the intense pain to an unbearable level. I tried to cry out, but my jaws were sore from yelling earlier, and my tongue refused to even attempt to articulate the syllables I desperately needed. It was around moonhigh, the time I now refer to as midnight once more, that my delicate ears, which were constantly picking up more noise than I could handle, detected pawsteps in the dry, dead brush. A sweet sent engulfed me, and my body was suddenly dangling a tail-length from the ground. I let out a terrified yowl, but it must have come out as a barely audible squeak.

"Shhh…" a voice as gentle as a spring breeze comforted through a mouthful of my own golden-brown fur. "It's alright, kit. Calm down." Had I had the strength, I would have squirmed out of the cat's grasp and bolted. But I didn't.

I passed out.

* * *

"Metalwing!" a voice hissed.

I blinked awake, stretching each leg in turn before turning to see the cat who called himself Featherwhisker sitting by an herb-scented pool. The tom smelled of herbs, per the norm, his usually relaxed, expressionless face replaced with an irritated glare.

"About time!" he huffed, relaxing once more. Featherwhisker ran his whispy tail over the ground next to him, becoming me forward. When I looked into the pool, I wished I hadn't. Lying in the image where our own faces should have been reflected in the pool was me. I was twitching and gasping in my sleep, Spottedleaf leaning over me and pressing wet moss onto my forehead. I was vaguely aware of the cool, wet substance touching my fur and breaking through into my dreams, but I hardly noticed. What lay on the other side of the den in the pool turned my blood to ice.

Lying in a mossy nest was a small fluffy tomcat. He had the same golden, wiry fur as me, though it was slightly darker and had no tabby stripes. He was trembling, clearly in pain and only half alive. He opened his eyes, and that's when I knew.

"DAMN YOU!" I screeched, throwing myself at the StarClan medicine cat. "You turned my brother into a cat! What else, you gonna turn Winry into a cat? How about Pinako? Mustang? Hawkeye, Armstrong, Huges? Answer me, you-you…Oversized flea-bitten son of a fox-hearted goddamn mouse-brained rogue!"

That was the best insult I could come up with. I knew fully Clan-born cats hated being called rogues, though, so I figured he'd be annoyed.

Now I'll never know if he was.

Blood gushed from the tom's flesh as it ripped under my claws. He coughed scarlet fluid, releasing a strangled cry. His left ear had been shredded by my rage, and the skin on his right shoulder, which lay under my powerful metal paw, had been horribly mutilated. A long gash ran from his throat to the middle of his belly, his entire body so twisted and broken and covered in bloody, fleshy wounds that I couldn't recognize it. Featherwhisker coughed again, trembling, as he lay, defeated, in a grisly puddle of blood and bile. I backed away, horrified, as his golden eyes glazed over, and his body began to fade. The last thing I heard on the breeze was a name, barely audible over my own gasping breaths.

Elric.


End file.
